The disclosures herein relate generally to portable computers and more particularly to a release and eject device used to separate a portable notebook computer from a docking station.
Various latching devices have been developed for securing or docking one device with another. In one application, a latching system has been developed for use with computers. The latching mechanism effects simple positive engagement and disengagement of the pin and socket connectors as respective outer surfaces of a first wall on a first module housing and a second wall on a second module housing are brought together or separated. The second wall carries a plurality of hooking members which pass through corresponding apertures in the first wall and are captured and restrained by a reciprocable latch bar inside the first housing. A rotary latch engages the latch bar such that actuation of a handle on the rotary latch causes reciprocation of the latch bar between a first accommodating position and a second capturing position. The hooking members have respective camming surfaces in spaced facing relationship to the external surface of the second wall while the latch bar is formed with complementarily configured camming surfaces spaced and located so as to engage the camming surfaces on the hooking members when the latch bar moves towards its capturing position. The hooking members are distributed over the surface so that the modules are drawn together in a direction that minimizes sideways forces on the pins in the connector.
Port replicators and docking stations are docking devices which attach to the back of a portable notebook computer via a single docking connector. Docking devices have several other connectors which remain connected to various cables, e.g. printer, power, video, etc. In this manner, a notebook computer can pass standard I/O signals to peripheral devices via the docking device without the need to make all of the cable connections directly to the notebook computer. Thus, the user of the notebook computer can quickly engage and disengage the notebook computer from the docking device.
There are other methods of interconnecting notebook computers with port replicators and docking stations. Some models merely plug in. Others include mechanical assist devices to urge the interconnected plugs apart to overcome the gripping effect of the male-female connection. Still others include interlatching devices for security purposes thus providing both an electrical-mechanical plug connection and a security latching device.
The plug connection requires an uncomfortable amount of pressure to manually release the notebook computer from the docking device. It is possible to damage the connection if disengagement is not properly accomplished. It is also important to provide a disengagement device which can be quickly and easily used in various size docking devices and can accommodate various shaped and sized notebook computers.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus and a method for securing a portable notebook computer to a docking device and for quickly releasing the secured notebook computer in a manner which unlatches the security device and overcomes the mating forces between the docking device connector and the computer connector and which manually facilitates the disengagement of the computer from the docking device.